


With an Air of Nonchalance

by Megane



Category: Brontide, The Tempest Series - T. D. Cloud
Genre: Acts of Dominance, Alternate Universe - Actors, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Theatre, Canon Nonbinary Character, Dry Humping, Dry Wit, Enemies to Lovers, Flirting, Other, Physical Restraint, Rivals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-27
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-09-12 11:24:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9069415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megane/pseuds/Megane
Summary: Ruari is the type to get away with anything because of his charms and good-natured attitude. But today, Avenir just wasn't having it.





	

        "You're past your time, Ruari."

Ruari smiled, tilting his head when he heard the flat but authoritative tone behind him. He ran his tongue over his teeth, trying to quell the bitter smile that threatened to turn his otherwise handsome features. Ruari turned slowly and gave his most charming, placating smile to the androgyne actor coming up to him.

        "Oh, hello, sweet Avenir," he greeted.

Avenir gave Ruari an up and down look. That was enough of a greeting by their standards.

        "Nothing to say in your defense?" they asked coolly, bylut the subtle lilt of their voice was a pointed question that would not be ignored.

        "So long as the theatre and the people want me, I feel I'm still in my prime," Ruari replied sweetly. He turned, signalling the end of this short game of theirs. "Speaking of, I should go prepare."

Kind as it was, Ruari very much made it sound like a dismissal, but soon after he began walking, he heard the seductive clicks of Avenir's heels behind him. Ruari was sure that, if he turned, he would see the other actor's flat stare aimed at his back. He glanced over his shoulder to test the theory and chuckled when he saw just that. Ruari faced ahead. For as much as he had seen Avenir emote onstage, he perhaps perferred their hooded gaze most. Those brilliant orange eyes were far too dangerous if they were expressed beyond hooded apathy.

The two made a synchronised turn towards the dressing rooms, and the hall was empty. Ruari couldn't even hear shuffling from any of the rooms nor could he hear any easy going chitter-chatter of stage hands. How strange.

Just as the thought of strange crossed his mind, Ruari felt a hand grip the inside of his right arm. His eyes widened when he was suddenly turned and pushed against the wall next to the closest dressing room. He stared into Avenir's eyes, meeting them both evenly and easily. But he was surprised. Avenir rarely deigned to touch others so boldly. Save a tap or a bump but those were usually small gestures of necessity. Still, Avenir had that cool look on their face. There was no heat on their face, and Ruari realised that today must have been one of their more amicable days. For surely if it weren't Avenir would have given him an earful of silk-wrapped unpleasantries.

        "You're foolish and cocky, Ruari," Avenir said plainly. "You believe that your good looks and eccentricities will keep you in league with me?"

Ruari felt the icy cut laid underneath each frankly spoken word. But what truly caught his interest...

        Ruari leaned his head against the wall and smirked. "You think I'm good-looking, Avenir?"

In response, Avenir tilted their head down and smirked. It was a pointed, almost exasperated expression, but beyond that, it was a challenging look that might have made others quake in their boots. And Ruari, if nothing else, was like no one else.

        "Cute," Avenir said dryly.

        Ruari chanced a playful gasp. "And now I'm cute too?"

        "You're tiresome," Avenir said instead.

But, Ruari noted, they hadn't said 'no' to his childish accusations. Nor had they let go of his arm yet, he noted belatedly. To bring their attention to it, Ruari raised up his free hand and stroked his fingers almost lovingly over Avenir's arm.

        "What do you want, dear Avenir?"

Even when they were on unspoken friendly terms, there was a certain delight in seeing Avenir squirm and peel away from him. However, today was not such a day. Avenir took a step closer, placing a foot between both of his, and they leaned their weight closer towards Ruari, who would have been remiss if he denied how his heart leapt suddenly.

Avenir turned their hand and set their thumb flat against Ruari's wrist, pressing down against his pulse, which they no doubt felt quickening. This was a turn, and Ruari was so focused in their mutual dismissal of each other, that he never would have suspected that Avenir was capable of such a thing. Hell, in the few love scenes Ruari had witnessed Avenir in, there was a sensual coldness in their most loving moments.

So for this to happen, Ruari must admit that he was woefully unprepared. Avenir's eyes, so brilliant and enchantingly orange, slowly searched the angles and curves of Ruari's face. And when their eyes locked again, Ruari felt another shiver twist through his body. He shifted from the sensation, his hips swaying, and he felt the brush of Avenir's thigh between his own.

Ruari caught his breath in a shudder. He wasn't sure what sparked this development, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't interested. Avenir's free hand came to Ruari's hip, their grip heavy and tight. They gave him another sizing look; Ruari licked his lips when Avenir's settled upon them. They smirked again, this time satisfied with the visible reaction. This time, they took a deep breath and pressed closer. Their thigh rested flush against Ruari's groin.

        "I want you to know your place, Ruari," Avenir said in a low voice that sounded more like a warning, but Ruari couldn't hear anything past the seduction. He felt their hand guide his hips down against the leg, and Ruari lowered himself, going with the silent expectation.

        "No complaints?" Avenir said, voice humoured and also slightly disappointed. "And here I thought I was going to suffer your usual attempts at wit." They rocked forward, adding to the pressure against Ruari's groin. He let out a breathy sigh. "Breaking you will be easier than I thought."

        "Y-you've surprised me is all," Ruari said with a winsome smile. "Don't think the battle will be won so easily."

And there was a flicker in Avenir's eyes, a glimmer of warmth within the coldness. They smirked again, this time genuinely amused by Ruari's response. He had yet to show them the depths of his fire. And the shock had worn off, only to be replaced with the carnal satisfaction him rocking against Avenir's thigh. Avenir curled their fingers against Ruari's hip, coaxing him to move more. Ruari looked left and right down to either ends of the hallway.

        "Focus only on me," Avenir ordered plainly, expecting the order to be followed.

        "Aren't you worried, Avenir? What if the rest of the cast comes and sees us in such a scandalous state? What of your pristine image then?"

        "They will talk," Avenir said. "Talk means little when I can make you act like this. That means so much more."

        Ruari offered a breathy chuckle. "So flippant today." Particularly so anyway. "And what have I done to inspire this change?"

Another thoughtful inhale, and Avenir ground up against Ruari roughly. Ruari gasped and let his eyes flutter closed. He hooked his hand on Avenir's arm. The other hung loosely at his side, fingers curling against the tile of the wall.

        "I overheard you talking with the girl, Breena," Avenir said their cast mate's name with an air of exhaustion, "and I heard you say something about reading your lines an hour before you came in."

        "Guilty as cha— ah..." Ruari sucked in a breath as the rocking was coaxed into a more insistent pace. He bit down on his tongue, trying not to look as into it as he felt.

There was something so scandalous and hot about being so intimate in a place where they could easily be found. And he was Avenir no less! Ruari was still in awe, shocked more by this than he was by his own compliance.

        "And this is not the first time you've erred in such a fashion, Ruari. Because your performances are... acceptable, you're allowed to slack. But, I will not tolerate your languidness. Your blasé approach is an insult to our craft."

        "And you think you can change that, Avenir?"

        "Oh, Ruari," Avenir cooed venomously with the pompousness of one judging a fool. "I know that I will."

And with that, Avenir drew away, taking their heat and the limbs and their dangerous seduction with them. They adjusted the cloak around their shoulders. Their final assessing look burned along the length of Ruari's body. They huffed a laugh, their usual, cutting edge returning as they began back the way they both came.

        "It's only a matter of time."

Those intoxicating orange eyes raised up to meet Ruari's flustered gaze again. Avenir spared him a second of prolonged eye contact before they sauntered down the hall away, taking their burning eyes and the tempting click of their heels with them. Ruari watched his fellow actor leave and gave a breathless laugh once he was truly alone. He ran fingers through his hair, curling his fingers tight in the bright locks before letting his hand fall away again. He felt the heat in his stomach rise to his cheeks and along his neck.

Ah, now he truly needed to change before rehearsal kicked up again.


End file.
